‘I have Been in the Concentration Camp Auschwitz Since June 14…’

Camp letters of Tadeusz Korczowski

Special blank of a letterAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Tadeusz Korczowski

Tadeusz Korczowski was born on June 7, 1914, in Lwów (now Lviv, Ukraine). He graduated from the Corpus of the Cadets and Faculty of the Mechanical Engineering at the Polytechnic. Before the outbreak of the World War II, he lived with his family in Rzeszów. After Poland was attacked by Nazi Germany, he took part in the September Campaign of 1939 and then returned to Rzeszów where he got involved in clandestine activities. On May 1, 1940, he was arrested by the Germans with his six years younger brother Jerzy and incarcerate in the prison in the Castle in Rzeszów. Both brothers and other detainees were transferred to the prison in Tarnów on May 9, 1940. On June 14, they were deported from Tarnów to the concentration camp of Auschwitz.

"Arbeit Macht Frei" gate at Auschwitz-Birkenau Former German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1945) by Stanisław MuchaAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Tadeusz Korczowski received the prisoner number 373 and his brother, 625. Both brothers were released from the camp in October 1941. Tadeusz Korczowski did not gain complete freedom.

After his incarceration in Katowice and Kraków prisons, he was sent as a forced farm labourer to Germany in the vicinity of Hannover.

In April 1942, he was released due to ill health and returned to Rzeszów. Again he engaged himself in the activities of the resistance movement and joined the Home Army.

After the end of the war Tadeusz Korczowski was arrested by the communist secret police in 1945. He was kept in prisons in Rzeszów, Kraków, Bytom, Warsaw, Łódź, Poznań, and Rawicz until January 1946. He was released at the beginning of 1946. Tadeusz Korczowski settled with his family in Gliwice where he worked as an engineer until his retirement. He died in 1997.

Prisoners of the first Transport to Auschwitz in Tarnów - June 14, 1940 (2) by Holocaust History Archive - Noordwijk, the NetherlandsAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

The first transport

The first transport of 728 Polish prisoners arrived in Auschwitz on June 14, 1940. Therefore, this date is accepted as the beginning of the operation of the Nazis German concentration camp of Auschwitz. The prisoners were given numbers 31 to 758. The majority of the new arrivals were gymnasium (secondary school), college, university students and military men arrested in Slovakia and various towns villages of southern Poland while crossing Polish-Slovakian border.

Prisoners of the first transport to Auschwitz in Tarnów - June 14, 1940. Prisoners are walking along Krakowska Street towards west by Holocaust History Archive - Noordwijk, the NetherlandsAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Imprisoned along with them were those who organized secret border crossings and smuggled volunteers for the Polish Army to Hungary, among them–mountain guides, as well as numerous members of clandestine organizations, such as the Union for Armed Struggle established in the autumn of 1939 or the White Eagle Organization (OOB) operating at the lands of Sądecczyzna.

The large group of young people, including scouts, was deported to Auschwitz on June 14 as well.

They had been arrested in the Extraordinary Operation of Pacification (Aussenordentliche Befriedungsaktion, AB), the German occupiers’ campaign against the Polish intelligentsia.

Prisoners of the first Transport to Auschwitz in Tarnów - June 14, 1940. The column of prisoners on the railway platform (ca. 500 meters west of the railway station) by Holocaust History Archive - Noordwijk, the NetherlandsAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Deported in the first transport were also civilians caught during street round-ups.

Among the remaining deported were representatives of different professions: teachers, lawyers, priests, landowners, sportsmen...

..., military men, doctors, musicians, and craftsmen. At least 11 prisoners were of Jewish origin.

Fragment of the register from the prison in Tarnów, among others, are listed names of prisoners who were brought in the first transport to KL Auschwitz on June 14, 1940_2 by Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum ArchiveAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Out of 728 prisoners deported from Tarnów to Auschwitz on June 14, 1940, 325 survived and 292 perished.

Fragment of the register from the prison in Tarnów, among others, are listed names of prisoners who were brought in the first transport to KL Auschwitz on June 14, 1940_1 by Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum ArchiveAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

The fate of 111 prisoners in unknown.

Aerial photograph taken by the Allies in 1944 showing territory of KL Auschwitz I and KL Auschwitz II-Birkenau (1944)Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum




Camp letters and secret messages


Prisoners, except for Jews, Soviet POW’s, prisoners of the penal company and those ones whose families lived on the territories not controlled by the Germans, were officially allowed to send letters from the camp.

Special blank of a letterAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Prisoners sent letters once or twice a month in different periods of the operation of the camp.

At first, prisoners wrote letters on stamped sheets of paper and then on special blanks (with printed instruction and sections to be completed).

Prisoners could buy them in the camp commissary or, if they were not sent money by their families on the black market.

Letter of Franciszek TargoszAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Text of letters, written exclusively in German, were checked by the camp censorship, therefore, they could not include any complaints concerning authors’ situation or information about the camp.

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 7th August 1940Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

In general, the following phrase was required: Ich bin gesund und fühle mich gut (I am healthy and feel fine).

Letter of Franciszek Targosz_IIAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

In spite of the fact that authors of the letters could not write the truth about their life in the camp, it usually was the only hance for them to let their family know that they were still alive. The feeling of the connection with a family has a positive influence on their mental state.

Letter of Franciszek TargoszAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

As a rule, prisoners were writing letters on asked for help their fellow-prisoners who speak the language. Some letters were decorated with floral motifs, landscapes, and generic scenes. It was tolerated by censors on the condition that illustrations would not include any allusions to the camp.

A fragment of a secret message sent from Auschwitz (1944)Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Apart from the official correspondence prisoners often took the risk and tried to smuggle illegal correspondence–outside the camp. Secret messages had a form of small paper rolls covered in tiny writing.

Some letters were coded. Secret messages sent outside the camp aimed at forwarding information about the camp to the activists of the Polish Government-in-Exile in London.

A fragment of a secret message sent by Auschwitz prisonersAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Also they included requests for food, medicine, clothing or help to prepare and organize escapes. Secret messages delivered to family members and relatives contained private information that could not be written in official letters because of censorship.

Wooden figure of Mother Mary 2Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Figurine of Virgin Mary made by Bolesław Kupiec in which he and his brother hid messages about the camp for the Home Army. Secret messages were smuggled out by prisoners working outside of the camp.
Source: Collections Department A-BSM

Wooden figure of Mother MaryAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Secret messages exchanged between the particular parts of the camp included information collected by the members of the resistance movement or personal messages for relatives and friends.

They were carried by prisoners who could move throughout the camp because of their camp duties, e.g. prisoners working in transport Kommandos (work details), performing repairs and installations, or messengers.

A toy-devilAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

A toy-devil donated by the Museum by former prisoner Kazimierz Hałoń. The toy was used to smuggle out messages, especially during the holiday seasons.
Source: Collections Department A-BSM

Secret messages smuggled outside were often put in arranged hiding places located outside the camp where prisoners worked. They were picked up at night by the members of the local resistance movement.

Polish civilian workers, who were meeting prisoners during work, acted as intermediaries and forwarded secret messages. They smuggles them in specially prepared hiding objects such as keys, pencils, shoes, and bikes.

Letter of T. Korczowski_1Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Letters of Tadeusz Korczowski

Twenty-one camp letters sent by Tadeusz Korczowski to his wife and mother survived. In April 2017 they were all donated to the Museum by the former prisoner’s relatives. 

Envelope of a letter from 7th August 1940Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Letter of (the date on the postmark) August 7, 1940.

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 7th August 1940Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

My Bellowed Halunia! Since June 14 I’ve been in the Auschwitz concentration camp. I am healthy and feel fine. Please follow an instruction on exchanging letters strictly and write soon.

You are allowed to send me money. Next time send more. Dearest Mommy, best and most sincere wishes of happiness on your name day. Best regards and many kisses for all of you. Warmest kisses for you.
Yours, Tad

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from August 31st 1940Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Letter of (the date on the postmark) August 31, 1940. My Beloved Ones,
I would like to thank you very much fot the letter and money that I received on August 9 now please provide me with more information–how are you, where is everybody, do they work.

Now I would like to ask if there would be a place for me in the gimnazjum at the begining of the school year. The time here is running very quickly at work and in good health. I am waiting for a moment when we will be together again. Please prepare yourself well for winter and Halunia should take care of shoes.

Write shortly, but about everything. If I need money, I will write. Do you have any news from Skruda, what the Olko family is doing. Are they both in Krynica? Are they working in Lipowa? I am constantly thinking of you. Please take a good care of each other. My Sweetie, for sure, will have become a good housekeeper by the time I return. Give my best to everybody.
With sincere kisses,
Tad.

Letter of Tadeusz KorczowskiAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Auschwitz, Sept. 1, 1940.
My Beloved Mommy and Halunia, Our letters met each other on the way and I received yours on Aug. 28. Please respond, but quickly and clearly, where you are employed, what the Father, the Olko family, and also the others are doing.

From your last letter I couldn’t draw any particular conclusions.
Halusia already writes quite well in German and please try to learn German yourself as soon as possible. We miss you very much, but we hope to be together in the near future.

Thank you for greetings from Skruda and Czubo and I’m sending them my regards.

Mommy, I kiss your dearest hands and Halusia’s beloved and most beautiful lips.
Tad

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 5th October 1940 I partAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Oct. 5, 1940
My Bellowed Mommy and Halusia,
It was a letter I am very grateful for. Please always write in such way. Not all news was cheerful, however, I am happy that you, Mommy, got a job–it’s something distant considering it’s in the autumn, but such is your fate Mommy.

I could write a lot about our feelings when we are thinking about you at home, but it is better to focus on labour in the camp. At present, I don’t know anything about my release, but we think that it will be soon.

My dear Halusia, unfortunately, we do not have here enough space for a weeding photo and it can’t be sent here. Please write how you’ve managed to make a living and take care of yourself, always keep calm and be in a good mood. Our entire future is in our hands and until then we can’t start our life together. When everything returns to normal, then we will spend our life just as we both imagined it. Thank you for greetings from Skruda and Grodziec.

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 5th October 1940 II partAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

It’s nice that everybody is thinking of me that much. Take every opportunity to give my regards to all relatives and friends and write how things are going.
I kiss your dearest hands Mommy, and your beloved lips and Face Halusia.
Yours, Tad

Prisoner – a Pole
Thadeus Korczowski
Born July 7, 1914, prisoner no. 373, Block 3a
Concentration camp of Auschwitz (Oświęcim)

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 9th March 1941 I partAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Auschwitz, March 9, 1941
My Beloved Mommy and Halusia,
I haven’t received an answer to my letter of Feb. 23 yet. I hope it will come soon. We are fine and in a good mood we look forward to the future.
I’m wondering if you received letters from our relatives. What is Father writing?

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 9th March 1941 II partAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Of course, the most important is how things are at home; are you healthy, how do you deal with all matters without men’s help?
I am waiting impatiently for your letters, they make me calm in the upcoming weeks.
Give my regards to everybody and send most sincere kisses to Father from his beloved son.

Please send me more money because I have already spent everything.

Always be full of hope that everything will pass and we will be happy together again.
I kiss your dearest hands Mommy, and bright eyes and lips Hanusia.
Yours,
Tad

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski (1940)Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Auschwitz, Nov. 10, 1940
My Beloved Ones,

Thank you Mommy for taking care of Halusia. Always hope for the best and don’t worry about me. Don’t worry about our future my dearest Halusia–everything will be fine soon. Please give my regards to our relatives from Skeuda. Have Aunt Hala and Janka written to you?
Warmest kisses,
Thad

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski (1940)Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

To avoid questions to the camp authorities and guarantee a prompt mail delivery, please follow the instructions:
1. Write letters in German
2. Registered letters are forbidden
3. Send envelops without lining

4. Send German stamps
5. Photographs in letters are forbidden
6. Sending money in letters is forbidden
7. Write two letters a month
If all instructions are followed, each letter will be promptly delivered or sent.

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski (1940)Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

A violation of any rules will result in penalties and letter will be destroyed.
There is no permission for sending warm clothing because we are given everything in the camp.

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 15th June 1941 I partAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Auschwitz, June 15, 1941
My Dearest Mommy and Halusia!

Thank you very much Halusia for your nice letter and flower which reminds me about our beautiful past. However, I’m sure that even better times [a fragment of the letter removed by a censor] memories [a fragment of the letter removed by a censor]

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 15th June 1941 II partAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

we will have such a life as it should be. I’m happy that you live and run a household beautifully together, and it has always been my dearest wish. In any case, you should keep all vegetables from your own garden deeply in the basement because they can wait for me there longer a fragment of the letter removed by a censor] it fell a fragment of the letter removed by a censor] a beautiful weather is very nice and good for your health [a fragment of the letter removed by a censor]

Letter of Tadeusz Korczowski from 15th June 1941 I partAuschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

In June I received 45 Marks, I a fragment of the letter removed by a censor]

Envelope of Tadeusz Korczowski's letter sent from Auschwitz camp (1940)Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

Credits: Story

Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau / Auschwitz-Birkenau State Memorial

Translation into English: Beata Juszczyk

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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